You're Mine
by sundrownshowers
Summary: It's taken a year to rebuild the wizarding world after the defeat of Voldemort. Hermione Granger has spent the last year pushing away thoughts of war and burying herself in the rebuilding of the Ministry, while Draco Malfoy has been brooding in the Manor. Hogwarts has reopened and they both welcome the escape academia will bring them, and the eventual escape they find in each other
1. Prologue

Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction! I'm not sure how often I will update, but I welcome feedback of any kind. Thank you for reading my very short Prologue!

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Minerva McGonagall sat with a weary thump at her desk, the moon and star filled sky shining in on her office. The soft, plush cushions of her chair did little to soothe the weariness in her bones after her long day. She and the other volunteers had done their last sweep of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry earlier that morning, making sure all t's were crossed and all i's were dotted. The School Board had come by late afternoon to inspect the once esteemed and prodigious school to make sure the school was safe for students and staff to return. Although she, Filius, Pomona, and Poppy had stayed at the school after the Battle of Hogwarts the previous year, the Board still needed to approve the school before they let students come back.

It had taken a year to rebuild the wizarding world after the defeat of Voldemort. The school had been in shambles; Diagon Alley had been near ruin; families had been grieving; funerals and trials had been held. The community had come together after the tragedy and helped rebuild Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, although it had taken more time than they had planned.

Many the Death Eaters that were caught were sent to Azkaban for life after their trials. Minister Shacklebolt made sure each Death Eater was held accountable for his or her actions, so each person was given a fair trial. To the dismay of many in the Wizarding World, the Malfoy family was given leniency thanks to the testimonies of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, two of the Golden Trio. Lucius Malfoy was given a permanent trace on his magic and five years in Azkaban with a chance of a shorter sentence for good behavior, while Narcissa and Draco were sentenced to 100 hours of community service.

Headmistress McGonagall let out a long sigh as she thought of the task before her. There would be double the first years this year and a much larger seventh year class than usual. The seventh-year class would be made of what should have been the class of 1999 as well as any student from the class of 1998 that would like to sit for their NEWTS exams. Although it was late into the night, she knew she needed to begin the letters and make a list of Muggleborns she needed to visit if she were to have her tasks completed by the end of the week. She looked up at the sleeping figure of Albus Dumbledore and prayed to the gods for a peaceful year as she began preparing Hogwarts acceptance letters.


	2. Chapter 1, Part 1: I've Begun to Realize

Draco Malfoy was an egotistical, sarcastic, and emotionless asshole. At least, that's what he had wanted people to see. It had been a year since the horrors of the war, a year since the Dark Lord had lived and terrorized him in his home. A lot can change in a year. Yes, he was still the egotistical, sarcastic, and emotionless asshole people expected him to be, but the war had changed him. He still held his head high and sneered at the people who spit and shouted threats and obscenities at him when he was in Diagon Alley with his mother. He still held his head high and proud when people looked at him with sympathy in their eyes and words of encouragement on their tongues. He didn't need their pity nor their concern. He was doing just fine without his father; he was a changed man.

Draco no longer held the pureblood ideals his father had raised him to believe. The thoughts of pureblood supremacy had been ingrained in his head since birth. His parents only socialized with other purebloods, so he only socialized with other purebloods. He had truly believed muggleborns and half-bloods were inferior, until He had come back and made his life a living hell from which he could not escape. Once the blood of muggleborns, half-bloods, and purebloods is splattered across the floor, you can't tell the difference; it's all just blood. Everyone can bleed, and everyone can die. It just took a war for him to come to his senses.

Draco stared at the letter in front of him. It had to have been a mistake. There was no way he would ever be allowed to go back to Hogwarts, not with the mistakes he had made. Perhaps it was a joke or was sent to tempt him to open it so he would be cursed. They had several wards up around the Manor to keep cursed mail out after the first couple of incidents, but wards can be broken. He took one last glance at the letter, walked out of his study, and headed down the hall to find his mother.

"Mother!" he called as he walked past portraits of long dead ancestors and toward the conservatory.

He heard her humming before he saw her. His mother has sought solace in their observatory soon after his father had been sentenced. She poured her heart and soul into her many projects and stayed busy to keep herself from missing his father. She would spend hours with her plants, humming random tunes as she worked. Draco turned the corner into the observatory and found his mother by her rose bushes.

Narcissa Malfoy had always been beautiful. Her mother had adored her; her father had spoiled her. Her blue eyes, pale skin, and blonde hair attracted many men throughout her years at Hogwarts. None ever held her attention as well as Lucius Malfoy. Tall, blond, and handsome is how she and her female friends described him. He could match wit with her, make her laugh, make her cry; he was everything she ever wanted and she was everything he ever wanted. When they married, Lucius showed her off at every event with a smirk on his face that plainly said, "I am one lucky man." Luck can only do so much. The small family had only just managed to survive the First Wizarding War and were lucky enough to not be killed during the Second Wizarding War. Narcissa had chosen to stay by her husband's side and support him through both wars. She believed in him. Then he had let the Dark Lord use their home and then her beloved son. The most recent war had taken a toll on her. She still had her blue eyes, pale skin, and blonde hair, but her blue eyes held grief, her pale skin held scars, and her blonde hair held grey.

"Mother, how goes gardening today?" Draco asked as he studied his mother's face, looking for any signs of distress that would signal to him not to broach the subject of the letter.

"It is the same as any day, darling, but I know you have not just come here to stare at me and ask about my roses," Narcissa stated, chuckling to herself. She began to pull of her white gardening gloves, giving Draco time to reply.

"Well, uh, I… Mother, I received a startling letter today and I'm not sure what to make of it. I wanted to get your opinion of it before I decide what to do."

Narcissa set her gloves on the gardening bench and did a quick Scourgify on her robes, ridding herself of ny trace of dirt. "Tell me more about this letter, dear."

Draco led her down the hall as he told his mother all of the information that he knew, which, to be honest, was very little. "With the wards we put in place months ago, we haven't received a single piece of cursed mail, but wards can always be broken and I didn't want to take chances. The letter is addressed to me, and specifically states my study. I've tried all of the spells I know on it to reveal curses, but a second opinion never hurts," Draco explained, running his hand through his blond hair in distress.

Narcissa watched her son as he spoke. He looked every bit the part of a Malfoy, except for his eyes and nose, which were 100% Black. The war had taken a toll on all of them. Her once proud, arrogant, and darling son tried to hide it from her, but she knew him like the back of her hand. His smirk no longer held the superior glimmer as it once had and he half grimaced at any mention of her husband. Yes, she loved Lucius still, but she could never forgive him for what he put their family through, for what he put Draco through.

They at last reached the Malfoy study. What had once been a dark and depressing room, full of dark artifacts and cursed objects, was now a room in which Draco could seek comfort. Gone was the desk Lucius and past generations of Malfoy's had used and in its place sat a beautifully hand-carved wenge desk with intricate designs depicting dragons and gryphons, lions and snakes. Two unused black leather chairs sat in front of the desk, for clients and investors Draco had no interest in. Bookshelves the same cappuccino-colored wood as the desk lined the walls, full to the brim with books on potions, alchemy, and arithmancy. A black leather couch faced the fireplace, a light by which Draco read. On top of his desk lay a letter addressed to Mr. Draco Malfoy, Malfoy Study, Malfoy Manor. Narcissa peered at the letter, flipping it over to look at the seal. The seal was an exact match to the seal used by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Draco, dear, I believe it is safe to open. The Hogwarts seal has ancient charms on it, making it incapable of being replicated. I assure you; it is safe."

"Mother, I still don't trust it. They would never welcome me back to Hogwarts after everything I have done."

"You were cleared by the Minister himself, and if that doesn't mean anything to you, I don't know what will," Narcissa replied. "Whatever is in that letter, I will leave to your decision. I'll have Korbey send you up some biscuits while you decide."

Draco watched his mother leave, contemplating the choices before him. Could his mother be correct? Could this be a joke? The only way for him to know was to open the letter, and, since Draco was no fan of uncertainty, he sat in his chair, reached for the letter, took a deep breath, and broke the wax seal.

 _Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been invited back to complete your 7th year term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With the rebuilding of the Wizarding World close to completion, we welcome back all 7th year students who were unable to sit for their NEWTs Exam due to the trying circumstances of last year. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

 _Yours Sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Headmistress_

With a crack, Korbey, one of the family's house elves, arrived with the promised biscuits. Seeing that the Master was engrossed in a letter, Korbey set the biscuits on the desk, bowed, and disappeared with another crack.

Draco mindlessly reached for a biscuit, took a bite, and reread the letter. It was not a joke; he had been invited back to Hogwarts. Sure, he could choose to not go back, but then what would become of his life? Going back would mean escape from the memories that haunted his mind wherever he went in the Manor of the Dark Lord's inhabitancy. Going back would mean he could try to make something of the Malfoy name that his father had so tarnished in the Wizarding World. Draco had begun to realize that this was his second chance.

Satisfied with his decision, Draco pulled a piece of parchment from the top drawer of his desk, dipped his golden pheasant quill in ink, and wrote his response. He was going to return to Hogwarts and complete his studies.

Making sure the ink was dry, Draco carefully folded the letter and placed the Malfoy seal, sealing the letter and his future. He stood up from his desk, walked to the open window, and whistled for his eagle owl, Ares. Ares came soaring into the room, landing on the perch Draco had placed near his desk. Sticking out his leg, Ares playfully nipped at his master as the letter was tied securely. As soon as the letter was placed, Ares nipped once more at Draco and then took off through the open window and on to Hogwarts. Staring listlessly after his owl, Draco once again sank into the depths of his troubled mind.


	3. Chapter 1, Part 2: I've Begun to Realize

Thanks to everyone who is reading this story! Special shout out to reviewers Queen 0f Heartz, NikeCeleste13, and SB - Potterhead Budgie Lover! Special thank you to those following my story: TwilightLover1910, .507, hanaah70, Viridianasag, Natalia Kerkova, Lovetoread416, Draco lover 91, momofpeg, worththerisks, KrispiKreme, TiffTiffers09, jcurtis12, Nika122, bookinspired, mangocat, latinadecorazon, natashasymes, Kodama-Mama, mumma yoda, and Ivory Shark. I hope you enjoy!

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Throughout her life, Hermione Granger had been called many things. Bookworm. Nerd. Know-it-all. Mudblood. But never before had she been called stupid. Until now.

"Hermione, just listen to me! This is so stupid! You've been in there for ages! You need to eat something!" yelled Ron as he tried spell after spell to unlock the door Hermione had holed herself behind in Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Hermione sat on the floor in the middle of the room with a map of Australia, her father's pocketwatch, and her mother's pearl necklace, surrounded by a ring of different colored candles in various stages of melting. The room was full of items that belonged to her parents before she had turned them into Wendell and Monica Wilkins and sent them to live in Australia. Ever since the war ended, she had searched for them. Every second that she was not helping rebuild the Ministry, she performed locater spells, both ancient and modern. Searching through the collection of books at the Ministry, Hermione found one last spell she had yet to try. After the boys went to sleep the night before, Hermione had started the complicated spell, hoping with everything that she might finally be able to find her parents and bring them home to England, home to her.. She had lit the candles one by one, chanting the words to the ancient spell over and over.

She had been repeating the same words over and over for the past 12 hours, waiting for something to happen. Upon hearing the word 'stupid', Hermione broke out of her trance and, with an anger laced voice, shakily stood up, blasted the door open, and yelled, "Ronald Weasley! How dare you call me stupid! I'll have you know I received O's on all of my OWLs! I have more knowledge in my brain than you will ever have!" Realizing that the spell was broken, she glared and, with an angry huff, blew out all of the candles with wandless magic. "How dare you interrupt me! I could have…" she broke off with a sob, "I could have found them!" Hermione collapsed in a heap on the floor, sobbing hysterically.

Ron, who had been holding his wand defensively in front of him as Hermione had berated him, had never been good when it came to women crying. He went over to his best friend, and for a short time girlfriend, patted her shoulder over and over and cried out, "Harry! It's Hermione!"

After the war ended, Harry Potter invited his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, to live with him in Grimmauld Place. Molly Weasley, of course, had wanted them to live at the Burrow, desiring to keep them close after the loss of Fred. Declining, they moved into Grimmauld Place and chose to deal with the aftermath of the war together. When Hermione would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, Harry and Ron would be up waiting for her in the kitchen with cups of hot chocolate. When Harry would flinch and draw his wand at any sudden movement, Ron and Hermione would quickly assure him that no one was there to harm him. When Ron would come home late with the smell of firewhiskey on his breath and emptiness in his eyes, Harry and Hermione would be there waiting with a pepper-up potion and open ears. They all bore scars from the war; they all chose different ways of coping.

Hearing Ron call for him, Harry closed his newest case file, rose from his desk, and strode down the hall. Were it a different situation, seeing Ron patting the shoulder of a distraught Hermione would be almost comical, but it was not a different situation. Upon seeing Harry enter the room, Ron shrugged his shoulders and gave Harry a pained expression. Harry quickly crossed the room to the huddled form of Hermione and gathered her in his arms, forcing Ron to stand by them, showing his support as best as he could.

The first couple of months after the war, Ron and Harry had tried to help Hermione find her parents, but to no avail. They had contacted the Australian Ministry and had even gone to Australia to search themselves. Her parents were nowhere to be found, and there was no trace of them anywhere. They had watched Hermione try to find them for months. They had consoled her after each failed attempt. Soon, though, Hermione had become obsessed with finding them. She had begun to sleep less and eat less, pouring her soul into rebuilding and finding her parents; she was slowly withering away into nothing. Harry and Ron knew they would eventually have to help Hermione move forward, and it seemed that the time had now come.

Harry, holding Hermione, could feel the fragileness of her body after months of depriving herself of enough rest and nourishment. He could feel the tears beginning to surface in his eyes as he held the once bright and passionate "Brightest Witch of her Age."

"They're gone, aren't they, Harry?" Hermione whispered through her tears, "They're never coming back. They're gone..." She broke off, sobbing.

"Hermione," Harry murmured, "you can't keep going on like this. It's destroying you. You've barely slept; you've barely eaten. Ron and I are worried about you."

Hermione sniffled. " I just… I miss them so much, Harry! I know they'd want me to be happy, but it's just so hard when I know they could still be out there, not knowing who I am!" She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.

"We're not telling you to move on, per se," Ron stated slowly as he struggled to find the right words, "but rather slow down a little. Harry has kept the case file open at the Auror's office, and our contacts in Australia are actively searching. You're our best friend, Hermione; we… we care about you and stuff. You're killing yourself over this and you don't even see it."

Hermione looked up at Ron and gave him a tear-filled half-smile, "When did you become so smart?"

"Well, someone has to be." He smirked and playfully nudged her shoulder.

With a long sigh, Hermione untangled herself from Harry's arms, brushed off her jeans, and slowly stood. _There's no logic in killing myself while I try to find my parents. They would want me to keep living and keep going no matter what. I can be strong enough; I promise to stay strong for them_ , She thought as she looked at Harry and Ron, _We've been through so much together. I don't know what I'd do without them._ This thought caused Hermione to begin crying once again.

Harry and Ron looked at each other and then to Hermione, confused.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said through her tears as she moved to hug Ron and then Harry, "I'm just so happy to have you as my friends. I don't know what I would do without you two!"

"Probably starve to death," Ron stated jokingly.

"Of course Ron would be thinking about food." Harry snorted as some of the gloom in the room was lifted.

"Hey! Food is only on my mind about 50% of the time!" Ron argued.

Hermione smiled at their exchange and wiped away the remaining tears, "Okay, I'm done crying for now. How about we get us some food? I'll whip something up for us!" Her cheerful smile did not reach her eyes, but the boys knew better than to let Hermione dwell on her parents.

Ron and Harry chatted amicably about their jobs as they followed her down the stairs to the kitchen. After moving into the old Black house, they had managed to redecorate the rooms they actually used. Gone was the dreary darkness, and in its place was colorful light. The kitchen, being one of the rooms redecorated, had new red oak cupboards and flooring with black granite counter tops. They had asked for Kreacher's input when they decided to change the dark and grimy kitchen into something more homey. Looking delighted, he chose the new design and appliances, muttering how he would finally have an acceptable place to cook and store his belongings.

When the trio entered the kitchen, Kreacher nodded his head at them in greeting and continued stirring a pot over the stove. He was still the same grouchy house elf, but cared deeply for his new masters and mistress. They were stupid, clumsy humans who did not know how to take care of his house or feed themselves. He often thought that, without him, they would not be able to do anything. Harry and Ron acknowledged the house elf and walked toward the table as Hermione walked toward Kreacher.

"Oh, hello, Kreacher! I thought Saturday was your day off?" Hermione said as she sniffed the air, smelling the food in the pot.

"Kreacher is making scouse, Mistress. You is not eating enough. You is needing more food in your belly. Kreacher has been making Mistress' favorite foods the past months. Mistress still just bones. Scouse is hearty and will fill Mistress' belly. Now Mistress need to sit down and wait for food to be done" Kreacher stated as he continued to stir the stew, not noticing the surprised look on her face. She felt ashamed that she had not even noticed his effort.

"Umm…" She mumbled, feeling guilty, "Thank you, Kreacher." She quickly turned away from the stove and made her way to the table.

"See, Hermione! Even he noticed!" Ron declared as he and Harry sat down at the table, "Anyway, we've been trying to make him take off on Saturdays, but he just refuses and shoos us out of whatever room he is cleaning."

"Scouse is almost done. Kreacher has put Daily Profit on the table for Masters and Mistress."

Hermione sat at her spot at the table, reaching for the cup of tea Kreacher had already prepared for her. Harry began reading the Daily Profit as she took a sip of the tea.

"Listen to this! It's on the front page!

'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, once known as the best school of magic, has finally been cleared to be safe enough for students to return. Headmistress Minerva McGonagall and teams of volunteers have been diligently working on repairing the damage done to the school during the Second Wizarding War. The Board of Governors toured the school after its rebuilding and deemed it once again worthy of housing students. With everything that happened at the school under previous and departed Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, it's a wonder students ever felt safe to begin with. Headmistress McGonagall assures us that the school is perfectly safe and has refused to comment on the subject of her old friend Dumbledore. After asking her what this new year will bring, Headmistress McGonagall stated, "We have hired new professors to replace the ones we lost; these new hirees have undergone a very thorough interviewing process to ensure they have the right qualifications to teach our students. New wards have been set up as well to guarantee the safety of the students and professors. This year will be quite different than previous years as we will have double the amount of first years and seventh years due to being closed last year. Owls were sent out yesterday to all students, inviting them back to Hogwarts to complete their wizarding education." Well there you have it from the Headmistress herself! Hogwarts is back to stay!'

Weren't you part of one of the rebuilding teams, Ron?" Harry asked as he set the paper down.

"Yeah, we just put the finishing touches on Hogwarts the other day, right before the Board arrived." Seeing the slightly surprised look on Hermione's face, Ron clarified, "George and I were checking on a new location to branch out WWW and bumped into some old friends at The Three Broomsticks a couple months back. They needed a little more help getting Hogwarts student ready so George and I went right up to McGonagall and volunteered. Boy was it a mess! Glad to hear that it'll finally have students again. I know McGonagall was a bit nervous about the inspection." As Ron was speaking, Kreacher brought bowls of the stew over to the table, setting a bowl in front of each of them. "How's the Ministry coming along, Hermione?" Ron asked, bringing Hermione into the conversation as he began to eat.

Hermione, who had been thinking about Hogwarts, shook herself out of her reverie and looked at Ron, "Sorry, what was that?"

"He asked you about the Ministry, Hermione," Harry stated as he blew on his stew and spooned some into his mouth.

"Oh, yes, the Ministry. Well Minister Shacklebolt has adjusted very well to the job. We have finally been able to get rid of that horrid statue in the Atrium. It took almost all of the volunteers and Ministry employees to destroy it! The departments are slowly starting back up since, thankfully, most of the previous discrimination laws have been abolished. I mean, those laws were just dreadful! Kingsley said that I could have a future in Magical Law or even the Wizengamot. I told him that I just couldn't right now though with trying to find my parents and volunteering everywhere. He…" Her rambling was cut off by the sound of an owl tapping at the kitchen window. "Were we expecting any mail this afternoon?"

Harry set his spoon into his almost empty bowl and got up from the table to open the window. The tawny owl flew into the room, dropped the letter in front of Hermione, hooted, and flew right out the open window. After closing the window, Harry sat back down at the table. Hermione, who had yet to touch a bite of her food, was staring at the letter in front of her addressed to Hermione Jean Granger, Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London. She flipped the letter over and saw the Hogwarts Crest.

"It's… It's from Hogwarts!" She exclaimed as she stared at the seal.

"Blimey. Hermione! It's not going to open itself!" Ron chortled as if he knew what the letter contained.

Hermione glared at Ron, but proceeded to open the letter and read quietly to herself. By the end of the letter, she had a huge grin on her face.

"I've been invited back to finish Hogwarts! Where are your letters? Shouldn't you have been invited, too?" She asked, confused.

"Harry looked to Ron and then back at Hermione. Rubbing his head he said, "Well, we knew that McGonagall was going to be inviting back people who should have graduated, so we went and told her that we had already decided we wouldn't return if we were going to be invited…" Harry broke off.

Ron cut in, "You see, Harry has his Auror thing and I've started to really like the whole Weasley's Wizard Wheezes thing. There really isn't a need for either of us to go back." He shrugged.

"You both knew and didn't tell me!" Hermione exclaimed, astonished. "I would be so mad at both of you if I weren't so happy right now! This day has just been an emotional rollercoaster!"

"Ron looked confused for a second at the mention of rollercoaster, but quickly pushed the confusion away. He hadn't seen Hermione look this happy in a long while and didn't want to ruin it by asking a question, so he continued eating his scouse.

"Oh! This is just so exciting! I've begun to realize just how much I have missed being at Hogwarts and learning! McGonagall has also offered me Head Girl! Oh, but I'm going to miss you boys so much if I go." Hermione's smile slowly drooped into a sad frown.

"Don't worry about Ron and Me. We'll just be a floo call away, and, anyway, you were always so much better at that academic stuff than us. What better way to prepare for your career than to finish Hogwarts?" Harry concluded, slowly returning to read the newspaper and eat his scouse.

Hermione looked to the letter and then to Ron and Harry, perking up a little at his words of assurance. She could do this; she could continue her education and make her parents, wherever they were, proud. Noticing her stew, that Kreacher had painstakingly made for her, was getting cold, she took a bite as the boys began discussing the latest Quidditch news and as her thoughts were newly consumed with Hogwarts.


	4. Chapter 2: That Whenever I am With You

**Thank you all for being patient! The next couple of weeks will be busy for me preparing my students for SOL's, but I will try to update at least every-other week!**

 **Shout out to reviewers: Black Banshee, MeltingLove, Chrismazing, and manitou2422.**

 **Many thanks to all who have Favorited and Followed my story, too!**

 **On another note, I do not have a Beta reader, so please feel free to either comment on or ignore any potential errors you see :-)**

 **Thank you and enjoy!**

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The smell of blood was everywhere. He could hear the screaming as his aunt tortured yet another victim. There was always screaming, always bleeding. At least the Dark Lord quickly killed his victims; Aunt Bellatrix would rather draw out their pain and make them bleed, finding pleasure in the sound of their begging and crying. His eyes were shut tight, not wanting to look at the scene before him.

"Open them, son, and see what becomes of those who would oppose us." His father's voice spoke to him as if this were nothing more than a fun party trick. "Open them," Lucius demanded more forcefully.

Draco opened his eyes. His father was nowhere to be seen. Around him were piles of bodies. He recognized the faces of a few schoolmates, old peers, people who didn't deserve to have this fate. Some of them had a frozen look of terror on their dead faces; others were barely alive, quietly moaning for the god of death to put them out of their misery. Bellatrix was still playing with her most recent prey, a person who was now writhing in the middle of a pool of blood, screaming in pain with the effects of the Cruciatus curse. He felt sick to his stomach; there was nothing he could do to save the bodies around him, but perhaps he could try to save the screaming form on the floor.

"Bella.." He tried to speak, but his throat and mouth were as dry as cotton balls. He cleared his throat and tried again as he walked toward his aunt, trying to navigate around the swollen corpses. "Bellatrix," he started, "the Dark Lord has asked for your presence and has allowed me to continue here in your stead." He hoped he sounded more convincing than he felt.

Bellatrix Lestrange, nee Black turned toward her nephew, her black hair wild and red lips turned in a frightening grin. "He did, did he?" Her shrill voice cut through the air as she turned back to her prey, "My Lord wishes to see his most devoted servant!" With a final swish of her wand toward the body lying on the floor, she twisted around, gave Draco a bone-chilling grin, and paraded out the door.

Draco turned to the curled up form on the floor. Her clothes were tattered and stained, her hair long and matted. From what he could observe, she was close to his age but had obviously not been eating enough from the way her bones jutted out through the tears in her clothing. Draco slowly walked forward, careful to not startle her. When he reached her, he bent down and went to move the hair covering her face, to make certain she was still alive.

Draco awake with a start. He grabbed his wand from under his pillow, muttered Lumos, sat up, and looked at his surroundings. His body was covered in sweat, his sheets were strewn about him, and he was breathing fast. His breathing slowed down as he realized that he was safe in his bed. That the war was over. That it was just a dream. It had felt so real; he could still smell the metallic scent of blood. He could have sworn that he knew the girl in his dream, but just couldn't place a finger on how he knew her. Draco shook his head, trying to clear it of the remnants of his dream. It was September 1st and he had more important things to do than to dwell on a silly dream.

Draco turned to his right, reaching for the silver pocket watch on his nightstand. The coolness of the familiar metal against his skin sent a soothing calm through his body. He opened the ancient Malfoy family heirloom and checked the time, wondering if he had any chance of getting more sleep. It was nearly 5, so only two more hours until he was expected at breakfast. With a click, he closed the watch and set it back on the stand. Laying back down, he closed his eyes, trying to get more sleep, but images of the girl from his dream plagued his mind. With a disgruntled sigh, he kicked off his covers and rose from his bed.

The cool air surrounded him, sending chills down his bare back and arms as he stretched his arms above his head. Stifling a yawn, Draco drew back the dark green velvet curtains covering the balcony doors. The sun was just barely over the horizon; the birds were just beginning to wake. His room overlooked the vast Malfoy gardens with a view of the labyrinth situated right in the middle. He could see the dome of the gazebo rising out from the hedges. As a child, he used to love running through the labyrinth, finding his way to the gazebo in the middle. When the Dark Lord took over his house, he would seek solitude within the confines of the maze. The hedges had muffled the multitude of sounds coming from the Manor, comforting Draco in a blanket of silence. He shivered again, not knowing whether it was from his memories or from the chill in the air. Draco shut the curtain with one last look toward the garden and walked toward the door leading to his bathroom, deciding to shower before heading to the dining room.

According to tradition, when a Malfoy male became of age he was to move out of his childhood bedroom and into his own wing of the Malfoy Manor. Draco had done just that as soon as his trial had ended. He enjoyed the freedom and space living on the other side of the Manor granted him. His childhood days of hanging Quidditch posters on his walls were over and in its stead was a stately bedroom decorated with various greens and golds, bleeding into the adjoining bathroom. Upon moving in, Draco immediately had his quarters updated to a more modern style. In place of an old clawfoot bathtub sat a huge sunken drop-in soaking bathtub, which he rarely used. His favorite addition to his bathroom, however, was the massive walk-in glass shower. Water would cascade like rainfall down from the ceiling as well as from the two shower heads diagonal of each other on the wall, the pressure massaging his body into relaxation. Directly across from the shower was an L-shaped vanity of the same wood as his desk with a mirror towering to the ceiling. It was toward this area he now walked.

The marble floor was cool to the touch as his bare feet padded across the floor. Draco slipped his fingers into the band of his pj trousers and pants and slid them down and off his legs. He carefully folded the clothing and sat it on a nearby chair for Mipsy, his personal house elf, to grab for laundry. Before walking into the shower, Draco glanced at his reflection. Scars littered his body, little reminders of the past: from the time Harry Potter had cursed him to the times he had disappointed his Aunt or the Dark Lord or anyone in power above him. His broad shoulders melted into his lean frame, a perfect V as Pansy would say. Draco turned away from the mirror and slid open the shower door.

As hot water poured from the ceiling and the shower heads, Draco's mind turned to thoughts of Hogwarts and the coming year. Who would return? How would the Slytherins be treated? In what way would McGonagall run the place? Draco squirted shampoo into his palm and proceeded to massage the liquid into his hair and then rinsed it out, repeating with his conditioner. He wondered if the Golden Trio would return to finish their schooling. Draco already knew that Pansy, Theo, and Blaise would be the only Slytherins from his year to return, but he was curious to see who would show from the other houses. There was no doubt that Longbottom and Granger would return, but other than that, he hadn't a clue. Draco could feel his breathing begin to speed up as his mind raised through all of the unknown factors this new year would bring. His heart felt as if it were going to jump from his chest, and he felt as if the room had begun to spin. Draco braced his hands against the wall, shoulder width apart, and shut his eyes. He thought he might become sick, but after a few minutes of slowly breathing in and out, he felt slightly better albeit a little more tired than before.

Draco knew his fears were unfounded, but he could no more control them than he could his mother's shopping habit. Trying to think of something else, he grabbed his washcloth, lathered it with soap, and ran the cloth down his body. His mind crept to nights he had spent with nameless witches in their flats, their hands and mouths running over his body, his name on their lips as he sunk himself into them, pouring his torrent of emotions into each thrust. Those nameless witches always helped to soothe his anxiety. Knowing what he needed before being in front of other Slytherins, he began to think of his most recent shag. He could barely even remember what she looked like, but he could remember the feeling. Draco's right hand encircled his hardening cock as he closed his eyes with the memory.

They had barely reached her flat when her legs were wrapped around his waist and their lips were locked in lust. She quickly unlocked her door and he walked them in, slamming the door shut behind them. He pushed her body against the back of the door and worked his mouth down her neck, kissing, nibbling, and sucking his way to the tops of her breasts. He could hear the girl moaning at his ministrations, and he smirked when her hands began to unbutton her shirt. He pulled her hands away and tore the shirt open, revealing a simple lacy bra. Draco began to kiss her again with fervor, this time massaging one breast with his hand while his mouth worked his way down to the other. She removed her hands from his hair and quickly unclasped her bra. Draco remembered saying bedroom and then somehow ending up on her bed, with the witch naked beneath him. He still had all of his clothes on, which he always made sure to do so as not to frighten away a good shag with all of his scars or the fading Dark Mark. He recalled how his fingers had felt in her wet center and how she moaned with each pump of his hand. Draco remembered positioning his cock at her entrance and thrusting in and out, in and out, faster and faster.

Draco's hand began pumping faster and more erratically as he felt himself on the verge of orgasm. He was finally taken over the edge and the running water cleared away the evidence of his early morning satisfaction. Draco raised his face to the water falling from the ceiling and felt the relaxation of a good wank run through his body. He turned the water off in his shower, stepped out of the stall, and wrapped a towel around his waist, letting the drops of water glide down his chest. He hoped the cool calmness he now felt would last, lest he look weak in front of the other students.

Draco quickly dried himself off and dressed in his charcoal black suit. For any other wizard, his suit would be considered their finest attire, but for Draco Malfoy, it was casual wear reserved for travelling. He gently brushed his hair back, deciding against the usual Malfoy slicked back look and opting for a more natural appearance. Looking in the mirror, Draco straightened his tie and regarded his appearance as acceptable. Knowing it was nearing time for breakfast, Draco walked back into his bedroom, grabbed his pocketwatch, and set out for the family dining room.

The walls in Draco's halls were decorated with tapestries and landscape paintings rather than the portraits of his ancestors; he would rather see images he liked than people he didn't. As he walked toward the grand staircase, an alabaster hued unicorn galloped beside him through the paintings, turning back once Draco's wing ended. He walked down the stairs and turned left toward the rooms reserved for family gatherings. As Draco walked down the hall, he could see the portraits whispering to one another and his great great Aunt Dionisia Malfoy actually called out to him. He paid them no heed as he passed, finally entering the dining room.

His mother was already seated at the head of the table, sipping on her morning tea.

"Morning, mother," Draco said as he walked over to her, placed a kiss on her cheek, and sat to her right. "Did you sleep well?"

His mother glanced up from the morning's edition of The Daily Prophet and replied to her son with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Good morning, Draco. Yes, thank you for asking, I slept rather well despite the fact my one and only son will be leaving me alone in this large manor."

"Oh mother, I'm sure you'll adjust," he answered as he began to eat the breakfast that had appeared in front of him. After their familiar banter was through, breakfast continued in a comfortable silence.

Once they had both finished eating, Narcissa Malfoy clapped her hands and Korbey appeared to clear the table. "Korbey, please make sure Mipsy has everything packed and ready for Draco. I want to make sure he has everything he will need to be successful. Also, have Daw pull the motorcar to the front of the Manor for our trip to Platform 9 ¾. That will be all."

With a snap, their plates disappeared and with a bow of his head to Narcissa and Draco, Korbey disappeared to follow his mistress's directions. After patting her mouth with her napkin, Narcissa rose from the table, followed by Draco. Narcissa placed her arm in the crook of Draco's and led them into the hall toward the foyer.

"Now, Draco dear, you must write to your dear old mum at least every other week. I've instructed Mipsy to remind you, lest you forget," Draco stopped and was about to speak when his mother raised her other hand and said, "Mipsy will join you at Hogwarts; there will be no discussion on that as arrangements have already been made with Headmistress McGonagall. She has also informed me that the school will have mandatory monthly meetings run by the Head Boy and Head Girl in the hopes of establishing a safe environment at the school for all and inter house unity. Do you understand?"

Draco listened as his mother spoke, "Yes, mother, I understand." Mipsy stood waiting by the open door with Draco's travelling cloak draped across her arms. Draco gave his mother a hug and a kiss, promised her he would write, and donned his travelling cloak. Walking out of the Manor, he saw Daw waiting for him near the motorcar.

"Master Draco," he bowed as Draco entered the car. Daw shut the door and climbed into the driver's seat with Mipsy sitting on his other side. As they drove away from Malfoy Manor, Draco turned and saw his mother wipe a tear from her eye as she waved him a fond farewell. Once they were outside the gate, Draco settled in for the long ride to Kings Cross Station.

* * *

Hermione Granger had had another nightmare. Earlier that morning she had awoken with a start after she saw the bodies of her parents lying dead before the grotesque figure of Bellatrix Lestrange. For the past two months, she had been placing silencing charms on her bedroom so the boys would not worry about her as much, especially since she was going back to Hogwarts without them. After her meltdown in June, they had become overbearing, always asking her if she was okay. She knew they were worried about her, but she could only handle so much hovering. As much as she loved them, she was happy that she was going back to Hogwarts; she dearly missed the school, learning, and especially the library. The boys had already said their goodbyes to her before they went to their respective jobs, with promises that they would write her. All that was left was for her to travel to Kings Cross.

Hermione looked around her room one last time, making sure everything she needed was in her beaded handbag and school trunk. After checking twice more, she reassured herself that she could always have one of the boys mail anything she forgot to her. She levitated her trunk to the front door and there stood Kreacher with a large, ornate picnic basket by his side.

"Kreacher has packed Miss a lunch basket for the train. Kreacher has made all of the favorites of Miss. We is making sure the Hogwarts elves know the needs of Miss, but Miss only need call for Kreacher and we will knock sense into Hogwarts elves, we will." Kreacher mumbled as he opened the door for Hermione.

Hermione looked down at the once petulant house elf and smiled, "Thank you, Kreacher, that was very kind of you," and not wanting to hurt his feelings, she added, "I will keep that in mind." She waved goodbye to the house elf and pulled her trunk, with the lunch basket tied securely on top of it, to the curb and stuck out her wand arm to call for the Knight Bus, her transportation to the station.

Within seconds the big purple, triple-decker bus appeared before her. Stan opened the door and began the usual Knight Bus welcoming speech. As soon as he looked at his new passenger though, he cut off his speech and said, "Blimey! It's 'ermione Granger! Welcome, welcome, come in, come in! Ernie, it's part of the Golden Trio!" Hermione tried handing Stan her fee and saying where she was headed, but he refused to take any money from her or let her get a word in edgewise. "No, no, free for life is what we says! Kings Cross, is it? Ernie! Make Kings Cross our next stop for 'ermione, yeah? Have a seat and we'll be there in a mo!"

Knowing she could do nothing to sway him, Hermione simply nodded her head and moved herself and her trunk to an empty seat. Five minutes later, she heard Stan shout out their arrival at King's Cross Station. She politely thanked them for their hospitality and quickly got off the bus, wishing Stan and Ernie a good day. Upon entering the station, Hermione grabbed a trolley and put her trunk on it; she then proceeded to weave in and out of people, making her way to Platform 9 ¾.

When she got to the wall that led to the platform, she saw a father staring angrily at a ticket in his hands. Beside the man, she saw a woman with her arm around a young girl. Thinking they were probably trying to find their way to the Platform, she took out her own ticket and said in a voice just loud enough to carry over to them, "Okay, Platform 9 ¾ here I come!"

The little brown haired girl standing next to the woman turned her head and bravely asked, "It's here? Are you going, too?"

Hermione replied, "Yes, I am! All you have to do is walk right through this wall and you'll be there! I was scared my first time, too, but if you close your eyes, it helps. I'll go first, okay?" The girl smiled happily at her frowning parents as Hermione walked toward the barrier. Once Hermione was on the platform, she looked around and saw familiar and unfamiliar faces. Many of the younger students were still saying goodbye to their families, while the older students had formed groups with their friends already.

"This is incredible!" Hermione heard the same girl from before say. "Mum, Da, look at this place!"

Hermione turned toward the girl once again and said, "See, not that scary once you're through!" She then turned toward the girl's parents to greet them properly, "I'm Hermione Granger, Head Girl at Hogwarts. I felt just the same way when my parents and I came here eight years ago. It's a bit much to get used to being Muggleborn, but your daughter will feel just at home once she gets settled in."

"Thank you, Miss Granger." the girl's father replied curtly and then he led his family toward the train without another word.

With a sad sigh, Hermione turned to her trolley and began making her own way to the train. The majority of the students were waiting until last minute to board the train and she wanted to beat the mad rush to find a compartment. When she got on the train, Hermione made her way past first and second years who had begun to already fill several carriages and worked her way toward the front. Suddenly, she heard the five-minute warning alarm sound, alerting the students still on the platform to board the train. Hermione quickly pulled her trunk behind her and decided on Carriage C. She opened the door to the carriage and began to pull her trunk through, knowing her returning friends would eventually find her. Unbeknownst to her, Draco Malfoy had the exact same thought when he had arrived on the platform.

* * *

He had arrived at the station with no difficulties. Mispy had taken his things and stored them away on the train; he need only call for her if he desired anything. For now, his only desire was to get onto the train and off of the over-crowded platform. As he walked through the throng, he noticed people glaring at him, parents and children alike. Ignoring the hateful looks, Draco walked onto the train and began looking for an empty compartment, where his Slytherin acquaintances were sure to meet him. He had finally managed to find a quiet and empty carriage, only to see that Granger, too, had decided on Carriage C.

Draco stood still at one end of the carriage when the warning alarm sounded, and, leaning against the doorframe, he watched Granger try to pull her trunk from Carriage D to Carriage C. It amused Draco that she was doing it the Muggle way instead of a simple levitation charm, especially since it seemed to be stuck. He let his eyes roam over her body as she struggled with her trunk. Draco had not seen Granger since his trial; she had looked haggard and terribly thin at the time. Currently, Granger was wearing Muggle jeans that hugged her arse and hips and a light green button-up blouse that made his eyes drift to her small, but perky, breasts. He noted that she had gained back some of the curves she had lost during the war and that she had finally managed to somewhat control her hair. Although he wouldn't admit it to anyone, Hermione had become quite attractive and had been for quite some time, even if she was a Muggleborn. Seeing that she was still struggling, Draco sighed, took out his wand, and performed a nonverbal levitation charm on her trunk. Hermione gasped and then turned in surprise.

"Malfoy!" Hermione yelled once she saw who it was, "I was handling it just fine! Put my trunk down; no one asked for your help!" Hermione's face flushed in anger.

Draco couldn't help but smirk at her outburst, "Granger, Granger, manners, please. You do know what manners are, don't you?" Draco walked toward her, still levitating her trunk, "Being the gentleman that I am, I figured a lady would appreciate the kind gesture and the reminder that she can use magic."

Hermione ground her teeth in frustration and took a deep breath. "As Head Girl, I am to set an example for other students! Magic is not to be used on the train, and you know that! Now if you are quite done, you can leave me be and go bother someone else."

"Ah Granger, you wound me," Draco said sarcastically, "but alas, you are standing in front of the compartment I have chosen and you have given me nowhere to set down the trunk I painstakingly have been levitating all this time."

"Malfoy," Hermione began and then, thinking better of it, she smiled sweetly at him and said, "Why, Malfoy, you want to share a compartment with my friends and I? I'm sure you could sit between Neville and Ginny! Oh! Or maybe next to Luna! She often talks about her lovely stay at your Manor."

Draco scowled and lifted the charm he had placed on Hermione's trunk, causing it to crash to the floor. "That was a low blow, Granger, even for you. Is this how it's going to be? That whenever I am with you or your pals, you won't be able to leave it be? Have the compartment, Granger; have the whole damn carriage." Draco angrily turned and walked away from her, slamming the door between the carriages as he made his way to an empty compartment in Carriage B. "Damn her, damn everything," he muttered to himself as he threw himself down on the seat and rested his head against the window. He sat like this until he heard the door open and in walked Pansy, Blaise, and Theo, the only people he knew he would be able to completely count on and have his back.

* * *

Hermione watched as Draco stalked away.

 _Serves him right for being a total arse_ , she thought to herself as she finally relented and charmed her trunk into the compartment and sat down. _But was he really being an arse? What if he was being genuinely nice?_ Hermione shook her head at that thought, _Malfoy, nice?_ _No, people don't just change like that._

As the whistle blew and the train began to move, her friends finally joined her. Moving away from thoughts of Draco Malfoy, she chatted amicably with her schoolmates about school and what they were expecting and excited for. She was glad to see the war had not destroyed them all completely and that life was finally beginning to seem normal again.


	5. Chapter 3: Deliver Me From the Pain

**Author's Note: My apologies for the late, late update! I had such trouble writing some sections of this chapter! School is out and summer has been busy, but I appreciate each and every one of my followers. I love you all and your continued support as I work on this first fanfiction of mine. Please comment with any suggestions, what worked, what didn't work, what you would like to see later, etc. I look forward to reading your reviews! Without further pause, here you go!**

Chapter 3: You Deliver Me from the Pain in My Life

"Ugh… Hermione, the meeting isn't for another hour! It's bad enough I was chosen to be a Prefect; don't make it worse by making me go to meetings early!" Ginny Weasley complained as she briefly put down the most recent issue of Witch Weekly. "Besides, won't the Head Boy be there early to help you anyway?" Seeming to be done with the conversation, she continued looking through her magazine.

Hermione, standing near the door of their compartment, looked from Ginny to Neville and Luna. Neville continued talking to Luna, seemingly hearing nothing and engrossed in a conversation about the potential harm the terra ostium insect (closely related to the Muggle thrip) might do to his Mimbulus Mimbletonia.

With a frustrated huff, Hermione muttered, "Fine, I'll see you three in an hour." With nothing else to say, she slipped out of the compartment she shared with her friends and headed toward the front of the train so she could prepare for the meeting with the Prefects and Head Boy. She didn't know who to expect in the meeting, especially since she didn't know who else was coming back from her year.

When she reached the compartment, Hermione was happy to see she was the only one who decided to come early. Walking around the room, Hermione muttered several _homenum revelio_ spells to make sure it was safe, a habit she had yet to lose. She sighed in relief when her spell made no one appear and began to look at the items on the table, presumably put there by McGonagall. There was a list of items she and the Head Boy were to go over with the Prefects as well as, thankfully, a list of who all she should be expecting. Hermione, not liking surprises, decided to read from the list of students before she began figuring out how she would run the meeting.

Hermione recognized many of the names but was surprised to see that Nott was Head Boy and not Ernie or Anthony, who, in her opinion were the better choices. She barely knew anything about him, and now she had to work with him all year! And why would Parkinson and Malfoy be Prefects again when they had done a terrible job last time? Surely there were better choices.

 _Get it together, Hermione! You have only a half hour to plan this meeting!_ She thought to herself. Shaking her head, she reached for the parchment that had the information she needed to cover in the meeting and began her task of creating an agenda.

After fifteen minutes at her task, the door to the compartment slid open, startling Hermione.

In a flash, Hermione stood up, with her wand in hand, and muttered, " _Impedimenta!_ "

Her target immediately had his wand out. " _Protego_!" He dropped his wand and said, "Merlin's beard, Granger. Watch where you're pointing that thing. You're lucky I'm handy with my wand or that could have ended badly. I wasn't expecting to duel until at least the second week of school."

"Nott," she explained, "I wasn't expecting anyone to show up until 1. You… You startled me. I don't like surprises. Well," Hermione smoothed her skirt and took a deep breath to shake her nerves. "Now that you're here, here's a list of the Prefects we will have this year. Since Headmistress McGonagall is trying to work on House unity, I've determined that we can have patrols of students…"

Theodore Nott put his hand up to stop her as his eyes scanned over the list, "We can talk about patrols later, Granger. Let's talk about what we need to go over at this meeting and then work our way from there, yeah?" Hermione was still clutching at her skirt, determined not to show any of the emotions that were spiraling through her brain. Theo glanced at the table and saw a piece of parchment with notes all along the margins. Grabbing the parchment and sitting down at the table, he stated, "I see you've started without me. Well, come on, Granger. I promise I won't bite." He patted the seat next to him, motioning for Hermione to sit down so that they could finish the meeting agenda.

Clearing her throat, Hermione marched over to the chair with determination and sat down. "Now, if you'll look at my notes, I've added a few things here and there that might be useful. Also, we should take attendance to make sure no Prefects are already skiving off. I've written a sort of script to begin the meeting, so it would make the most sense if I begin the meeting and then here," she pointed to the paper, "and here and here, I've marked spots where we can go back and forth so that both of us speak. Don't you agree?" She finally looked up from the paper to see Theo looking diligently at the parchment.

"The attendance part is a great idea. If you begin the meeting, I can end it," Theo stated as he marked the parchment with his quill. "Also, the majority of this could just be sent by owl to each of the Prefects. We needn't bore them on their first day. We can cut out much of this," he scratched out two lines, "and just talk briefly about each of these." he said, putting little checks next to the main points they needed to discuss with the Prefects, "Now the meeting will only be half as long as before." He glanced over to Hermione and realized that she was starting to look a little frustrated. Sighing, he calmly said,"Granger, I know you like to control things. A bloke learns things like that after going to school with someone for so long, but here's the thing, so do I, so you're going to have to learn to compromise. And this is something that's not worth getting angry over, yeah?"

Hermione had indeed begun to feel the anger boil in her veins. This man was tearing apart her work! Yes, some of the things he said made more sense. Yes, she often had a habit of going on and on. At least he was going about this calmly. Why was he going about this so calmly? He could have just gotten angry right back at her like Ron always did.

Once again, taking a deep breath, Hermione relented and replied, "Yes, I see your point. The changes you made will definitely shorten the meeting and then I can just send an owl to the Prefects with the rest of the information. It will just take some time getting used to working alongside a competent Slytherin. Why are you being so..." She was cut short by a voice coming from the doorway.

"Do my ears deceive me or did the mighty Granger just compliment a Snake?"

"Malfoy." Theo taunted. "You're actually a couple minutes early for the meeting. Who would have thought!"

"Oh shut it, Nott," Draco replied as he planted himself into a chair near the back of the room.

"Well," Hermione hesitated, feeling a bit awkward from her last confrontation with him, "do make sure you come to every other meeting on time." Looking to Theo, she cleared her throat and said, "Everyone else should be here soon." Hermione turned from the gaze of the boys and began silently rereading the meeting's agenda, making sure everything was in the right place. Thankfully, the remaining Prefects began trickling in soon after Malfoy.

Once everyone settled into their seats, Theo and Hermione stood up in front. Hermione began, "Welcome back, everyone! I hope you all had a refreshing break. Now, if you look around the room, you'll notice that we have more Prefects than normal this year. As you know, because of the rebuilding, Hogwarts was not open last year which means this year there will be much more students than normal." She stopped talking when she heard whispering coming from two of the Slytherin Prefects, Roy Stewart and Malcolm Baddock. Oddly enough, Malfoy had already noticed they were chatting and as Hermione halted her speech, she saw him pull out his wand and cast what looked like a _Silencio_ on the two boys. The boys turned to Malfoy and glared, but did not challenge the older student. He motioned for them to turn back around, and, sulking, they did. After giving Malfoy a questioning look and receiving a smirk in response, Hermione continued, "The first year class will be the most important to keep an eye on as there are nearly 150 of them this year, which is close to double the size." Hermione, still confused by Malfoy's actions, motioned for Theo to continue.

"Yes, along with that, there are several other changes McGonagall wants to make us aware of. I will give you the brief explanation and then you'll receive an owl with the details. Make sure you thoroughly read it. To begin, after the feast, 5th and 6th-year Prefects will direct the first years to the dorms. 7th and 8th-year Prefects will be in charge of the common rooms, making sure the other students get settled in. Next, every month we are to plan some sort of activity to promote Inter-House Unity, as well as help put a stop to bullying and harassment students have faced in previous years. As Prefects, you will also have access to the Prefect bathroom. The password this year is 'castigat ridendo mores' and it is located on the 4th floor behind the Laughing Cavalier."

Hermione then began going over the Do's and Don'ts of being a Prefect and how each Prefect is to set a good example for their house. After 20 minutes, she finally motioned for Theo to end the meeting. "With that being said, we will have meetings once a month, but feel free to send Granger or me an owl if you have any questions or concerns. Patrol schedules and routes for September will be out to you by the end of the day. For the remainder of this train ride, we will all take turns patrolling the train in pairs. Any questions?" When Theo saw that no hand was raised to ask a question, he called the names of the first and second patrols. "Longbottom. Abbott. You'll be patrolling first shift followed by Gosforth and Lovegood. Dismissed."

The students left the room and Hermione smiled brightly at how successful the meeting went, even if there had been a minor hiccup at the beginning. Turning to Theo, she said, "Okay, so now for the patrol schedules." And with that, the two sat down and got to work.

* * *

 _Later that day…_

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" Hagrid called as students stepped off the train.

Ginny, Hermione, Neville, and Luna said hello to Hagrid as they passed him, on their way to the thestral-drawn carriages. Not surprisingly, many more students were able to see the strange creatures than in previous years. Hermione heard gasps of amazement when students saw that no, they were not magical carriages, but instead drawn by black skeletal horse-like beings. She sighed sadly, feeling tears beginning to form in her eyes as she remembered all of the people they had lost and how everyone who could now see the animals had seen someone die. There had been so much loss in the world. Hermione's shoulders sagged as silent tears flowed freely from her eyes. Luna, ever observant, was the first to notice the tears.

"Oh, Hermione," she said as she wrapped her arm around her in an odd sort of half-hug, "They're never really gone, just behind the veil is all. Your tears are bound to attract salisties." She paused as she looked around. "Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott are looking this way," Luna added.

That caused Hermione to hastily wipe the tears from her eyes, unwilling to look weaker in front of the two Slytherins she would have to work with all year. When she finally looked up, she glared at the two boys. Nott nodded at her, while Draco stared at her with an unreadable expression. A third boy, whose name she could not place, called to Draco and Theo from within a carriage. Draco broke his stare and motioned for Theo to come with him, and as soon as they were in, their carriage took off.

"Merlin's moldy gym shorts, that was odd," remarked Ginny as she came up behind Hermione and Luna. "What was that all about?" Noticing her best friend's now red eyes, "Did they do something? Tell me they did something! It'll give me an excuse to hex them good!"

Hermione shook her head no and muttered, "I'm fine, this just brings back a lot of memories," as she headed toward an open carriage, not waiting to hear a response.

"Oh, bother. Maybe another time then." Ginny remarked as she and Luna followed Hermione into the carriage.

They were soon joined by Neville, who brought along both Hannah and Ernie. Once the carriage filled, the thestrals began their trek toward the castle.

"It's so strange being back after all that has happened, isn't it?" asked Hannah sadly.

Hermione, still thinking of those they lost, replied bitterly, "At least we got to come back. Others weren't so lucky."

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed, "You know that's not what she meant. Let's talk about something else. What classes are you going to be taking this year, Neville?"

Idle chatter continued until they, at last, reached the castle. While heading to the Great Hall, Hermione pulled Hannah aside.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I know that's not what you meant. I know it's been tough for all of us, but I shouldn't have snapped."

"That's alright, Hermione. I knew you didn't mean it. I completely understand; we've all lost people" Hannah smiled comfortingly at her friend and then walked off to sit at the Hufflepuff table.

"Gotta love those Hufflepuffs!" Ginny exclaimed, putting her arm on Hermione's shoulder as they headed toward the Gryffindor table.

"Isn't that Hermione Granger and Harry Potter's girlfriend?" a few second year Ravenclaws whispered as they passed. Others were whispering around them as the two war heroes made their way to the table.

"I have a name!" Ginny yelled.

"It's like they've never seen a hero before!" Nigel exclaimed as they sat down across from him and Aamir.

"Do stop, you're making me blush," Ginny remarked sarcastically. The talking and whispering around the hall came to a stop as Headmistress McGonagall came into the hall followed by a large amount of 11 and 12-year-olds.

"Look at all of them. So innocent." Hermione muttered to no one in particular.

"They're so tiny!" squealed Fay, sitting on the other side of Ginny. "Were we really ever so tiny? It's adorable!"

McGonagall walked to the podium and spoke to the room full of chattering students, "Silence, please."

She motioned to a pale woman in dark purple robes with long black hair elaborately twisted into a loose braid down her back. The mysterious woman moved and placed the Sorting Hat on top of the stool in front of the tables and without further ado, the hat began to sing its song:

"This old hat of a thousand years

has looked into many a mind.

My goal to sort the students who

Shall not be left behind.

How about brave Gryffindor,

Where those with courage dwell?

This house knows when to do what's right

And has some nerve as well.

Or maybe clever Ravenclaw,

Where intelligence is their call?

This house knows when to do what's wise.

Those sharp minds see it all.

Could it be loyal Hufflepuff,

Where those with patience stay?

This house knows when to be just and true;

Practicality is their way.

Perhaps proud Slytherin,

Where the cunning and ambitious reside?

This house knows when to do what's necessary;

They're resourceful and dignified.

The choice is really up to you;

I just look at what you value.

Now come on up and put me on

We'll see what house is for you!"

The Great Hall burst into applause at the end of the song, and when the applause ended, McGonagall stepped forward holding an extra long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."

The first-year students looked nervously at the hat.

"Allen, Sebastian," Headmistress McGonagall began. As the sorting went on, Hermione waited to hear the name of the girl she had helped. Finally, her name was called.

"O'Foley, Keva."

"Ginny, that's the girl!" Hermione whispered to her friend as the little brown haired girl made her way to the hat. "She was so excited for Hogwarts! Her parents weren't very friendly, but they were probably just stressed. I wonder what house she'll be in?"

Ginny smiled happily at her friend, "Maybe she'll be in Gryffindor! You could turn her into your little protege!"

"Oh, stop!" Hermione snickered.

The two girls returned their attention to the sorting. No house had been called yet and Keva had been sitting on the stool for a while. Headmistress McGonagall stood patiently nearby, waiting for the hat's decision. Two more minutes went by with the first year student sitting perfectly still, eyes squeezed shut.

Finally, after a total of 8 minutes, making it the longest Hat Stall in history, the Sorting Hat cried out, "Okay, SLYTHERIN!"

After a surprised silence, the students began to clap and the Slytherins greeted their newcomer with restrained curiosity.

Hermione and Ginny looked at one another, shocked. "Didn't you say her parents were Muggles?" Ginny asked.

"Well, they certainly didn't seem to know where the platform was. There's never been a muggleborn sorted into Slytherin in all of Hogwarts history as far as I know. It's just unheard of. I'll have to check _Hogwarts: A History_ 's newest addition and maybe the library to gain some insight."

Ginny replied, "I'd help you, but Quidditch and…"

"Ginny, I wasn't going to make you help me."

"Oh thank Merlin."

Finally, after all 147 students were sorted, the new professor took the scroll and Sorting Hat from McGonagall. The Headmistress moved back in front of the podium and cleared her throat, "Welcome to a new year a Hogwarts. Before we begin our banquet, I would like us to have a moment of silence to remember those we have lost and to prepare our minds for the year ahead of us." After a minute, she spoke again, "Thank you, and now, dinner."

Food appeared in front of the hungry students, who immediately began piling their plates. Idle chatter floated through the hall as dinner progressed. When the food was cleared away, McGonagall stood once more.

"I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. Students should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils unless supervised by a Professor. I must also remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madam Hooch and the team captain. A word for the wise, bullying and harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. As a school, we must accept the differences of others in order to create a world we can all be proud of. And finally, may I introduce the newest members of our faculty? Professor Arnold Morgenstern, Muggle Studies. Professor Logan Murdoch, Transfiguration. And last, but not least, Professor Branwen MacKenna, Defense Against the Dark Arts." As each name was announced, the named professor rose from his or her seat and greeted the students by a wave or a nod of the head. "Now, off to bed! Enjoy your weekend, for next week term begins!"

"I hope we destroy the Slytherin team in Quidditch this year! I'll have to find a new Seeker and Keeper and basically rework the whole team. Oy. Plus it's NEWTS year!" Ginny stated.

"I'm sure everything will be okay. Don't forget to keep the Common Room in order! Head Boy and Head Girl have their own dormitory area, but our commons are connected to each of the houses so that we can be somewhere quickly if necessary. I've got to go speak with Headmistress McGonagall, but I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow, yes?" Hermione replied nonchalantly.

"Sure thing!" Ginny hugged her friend and left for Gryffindor Common Room.

Theo Nott was already waiting by Headmistress McGonagall when Hermione arrived. "Now, if you'll follow me," McGonagall started as she walked with the Head Boy and Head Girl, "I will show you to your dormitories. I am sure I can expect you to follow the rules. As technically 8th year students, you and the rest will have certain freedoms that the 7th and below years will not have, but that does not mean you are free from consequences. I have very high expectations for the both of you and you will not disappoint. Now, the entrance of your common room is hidden behind the statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor. To enter, whisper in his ear 'Ad Astra Per Aspera' and the passage will open to you. In this passage, there are five doors. The door at the end of the hall is where your common room lies, while the other four lead near each of the other House Commons. The doors may only be used by the two of you; should I find that others have used them, you will be stripped of your titles. Understood?" The two students nodded as they finally reached the statue. "Now, go and explore your rooms. We will meet Sunday to discuss the coming week."

With that, Headmistress McGonagall turned and walked away, leaving Hermione and Theo standing in front of the statue of Boris the Bewildered.

Hermione looked at Theo and, when he didn't move, she walked to the statue and whispered in his ear. As she took a step away, the statue began to move backward, revealing a hidden staircase leading down into the school. Without waiting to see if Theo was following her, Hermione set off down the stairs. The stairs seemed to go on for hundreds of meters; there were lit torches along the walls, illuminating the portraits of all of the previous Head students. Hermione was fascinated with the portraits of the previous students, so much so that it took Theo saying 'Granger' three times to gain her attention.

When Hermione finally turned to him, Theo said, "As fascinating as all this is, the path is only wide enough for one person to pass, and until you move, I can't really go anywhere. So, Granger, if you could possibly save your lust for knowledge for another day when I am not stuck behind you, I would greatly appreciate it. The portraits will still be here."

Hermione thought about staying exactly where she was, so as not to let him win. _Hermione Jean Granger, what is the matter with you? You are not some petulant child! You are an 18-year-old woman! Now act like it!_ Hermione muttered, "Oh, sorry!" and continued on her way.

Finally, the ground leveled out and the passage opened into a dim hallway. On the left side of the hall, there were two doors. One was large, round and yellow with golden sunflowers and light green vines intricately carved into it. The other was an aged wooden door, with wrought iron trees branching out from its hinges. The door knob, instead of rounded like that of the yellow door, was the likeness of an eagle, with blue sapphires in place of its eyes. On the other side of the hall were two other doors. The one closest to Hermione, without a doubt, led to the Gryffindor common room. This door was large and red, with a gold lion rampant. The lion's eyes held sparkling rubies shining under a mane cascading with gold thread. The next door just as clearly emanated its coordinating Founder. The door leading to the Slytherin Dungeon sat underneath an elaborately carved black marble archway; a large, dark green serpent with emerald eyes and silver-scaled underbelly adorned the black wooden door. At the end of the hall was the last door, the door leading to the Head's common room. This door was simple compared with the other four in the hall, with only the Hogwarts crest carved into it. To this door, Theo went as Hermione examined the other doors. As much as he would like to take a closer look at the design of the doors, he was exhausted from the train ride and wanted to crash in his bed. When he opened the final door, he heard Hermione follow him inside. Their common room was a delicate mixture of Slytherin and Gryffindor aesthetic, each color complimenting the other rather than clashing. Without further conversation, the Head Boy and Head Girl went their separate ways to their separate dormitories.

Hermione Granger walked up the spiral staircase leading to her room. When she reached the top, she opened the door and let out a delighted sigh at the sight before her. Her room contained a queen sized bed, a beautiful desk, and bookshelves lined the walls. It was perfect! Hermione collapsed on her bed, sinking into the warm comfort of the quilted bedspread. The smile she had plastered on her face for most of the day slowly melted away. She knew she was lucky to have survived the war. She knew she was lucky that she had friends and the opportunity to continue her schooling. Even though she hadn't been able to find her parents yet, she still had a large support system surrounding her. There was no reason for her to be sad, but she was. She often felt that nothing could deliver her from the pain in her life. Hermione sighed and got up from her bed to change into her nightclothes.

As soon as she was changed, she turned off her light and got into bed. Hermione tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep for at least an hour. She just couldn't stop thinking! With another disgruntled sigh, Hermione began to slowly breathe in and out. Hermione had discovered a way to calm herself down back in the third year when she was taking too many classes. She came across the idea in a Muggle novel she had been reading. Without further thought, Hermione's right hand moved slowly down her side, hugging the curve of her waist and then the curve of her hip. She then moved her hand to her core. Slowly, her deft fingers moved between the folds of her center, and she began to slowly stroke her clit. Hermione let all thoughts of pain and sadness drift from her mind as waves of pleasure rippled through her system. She thought of nothing as her fingers circled the now swollen nub of her clit. Hermione slipped her fingers inside of her, coating them with her wetness and then moved them slowly, in and out, in and out, all the while rubbing her pleasure center with her thumb. Gradually she picked up speed. She could feel herself getting closer and closer to release. A quiet moan of pleasure escaped from her open lips. Her pace quickened. Her nerves were alive. The pleasure was overwhelming her senses. Closer. Closer. Closer. Hermione's body gave out, twitching in release. When the waves of contentment finally left her body, Hermione removed her hand, muttered a quick _Tergeo_ , and, finally feeling relaxed, drifted off to sleep.

* * *

End Notes:

1\. terra ostium insect - made up magical insect that literally means "the door"

2\. thrips are real insects that basically suck the life from plants

3\. castigat redendo mores - Latin phrase that means "he corrects morals by ridicule" or "laughing corrects morals"

4\. Ad Astra Per Aspera - Latin phrase that means "to the stars through difficulties"


End file.
